Page "History of Germany" Paragraph 174
from
Wikipedia
In 1888, the old emperor William I died at the age of 90.
His son Frederick III, the hope of German liberals, succeeded him, but was already stricken with throat cancer and died three months later.
Frederick's son Wilhelm II then became emperor at the age of 29.
He was the antithesis of old, conservative Germans like Bismarck, addicted to the new imperialism that was taking place in Asia and Africa.
Having a left arm withered by childhood polio, he was painfully insecure and desired above all to be loved by the people.
He sought to make Germany a great world power with a navy to rival Britain's.
Bismarck hoped to marginalise him just as he had marginalised his grandfather, but William II desired to be his own master.
Bismarck's schemes to dominate the emperor and hold onto his own power failed, and he was forced to resign in March 1890.
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